Child Protection Improvements Act of 2017

HR 695 : To amend the National Child Protection Act of 1993 to establish a national criminal history background check system and criminal history review program for certain individuals who, related to their employment, have access to children, the elderly, or indi

STATUS

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. January 24, 2017

Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations. February 14, 2017

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held. March 22, 2017

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote. March 22, 2017

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 115-138. May 22, 2017

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 87. May 22, 2017

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4409-4411) May 22, 2017

Mr. Goodlatte moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended. May 22, 2017

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4409) May 22, 2017

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. May 22, 2017

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 695. May 22, 2017

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. May 23, 2017

Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent. October 16, 2017

Senate Committee on the Judiciary discharged by Unanimous Consent. October 16, 2017

Message on Senate action sent to the House. December 20, 2017

Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House amendment to Senate amendment. January 30, 2018

Ms. Granger moved that the House agree with an amendment to the Senate amendments. (consideration: CR H698-725) January 30, 2018

The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule. January 30, 2018

On motion that the House agree with an amendment to the Senate amendments Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 250 - 166 (Roll no. 49). (text as House agreed to Senate amendments: CR H699-719) January 30, 2018

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. January 30, 2018

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 714, the House proceeded with 1 hour of debate on the motion that the House agree in the Senate amendments to H.R. 695 with an amendment. January 30, 2018

Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 714, Ms. Granger took from the Speaker's table H.R. 695, and moved that the House agree in the Senate amendment to the title of H.R. 695 and that the House agree in the Senate amendment to the text of H.R. 695 with an amendment consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 115-56. January 30, 2018

Motion by Senator McConnell to refer to Senate Committee on Appropriations the House message to accompany H.R. 695 with instructions to report back forthwith with the following amendment (SA 1922) made in Senate. (CR S627; text: CR S627) February 6, 2018

Cloture motion on the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 695 presented in Senate. (CR S627) February 6, 2018

Motion by Senator McConnell to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 695 made in Senate. February 6, 2018

Measure laid before Senate by motion. February 6, 2018

Motion to proceed to consideration of the House message to accompany H.R. 695 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote. (consideration: CR S627) February 6, 2018

Considered by Senate (Message from the House considered). (consideration: CR S667-699) February 7, 2018

Cloture on the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 695 not invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 55 - 44. Record Vote Number: 29. (CR S798) February 8, 2018

Considered by Senate (Message from the House considered). (consideration: CR S794-799) February 8, 2018

The purpose of the bill is to close a gaping hole in the federal law that prevents camps, children’s groups, mentoring organizations, after-school programs and other organizations that work with children or vulnerable adults from gaining access to federal criminal background checks on employees and volunteers.

The Child Protection Improvements Act (CPIA) is a bipartisan bill that would allow organizations serving vulnerable populations (children, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities) to conduct fast, accurate and affordable background checks on prospective volunteers and employees.

The FBI’s fingerprint-based background checks are a critical component of a comprehensive background check process, but thousands of organizations don’t have access or they are too expensive to afford.

CPIA builds on the success of the PROTECT Act’s Child Safety pilot which ran from 2003 until 2011. The pilot provided direct access to FBI fingerprint background checks for a variety of child-serving nonprofit organizations. Well over 100,000 background checks were performed during the pilot and found that more than 6 percent of the potential volunteers had criminal records of concern (based on criterion offenses established specifically for the pilot). Forty-two percent of the individuals with criminal records of concern had crimes in states other than where they were applying to volunteer – meaning that only a nationwide check would have flagged these individuals’ criminal records.

Specifically, CPIA amends the National Child Protection Act of 1993 to establish a permanent background check system. The bill:

Ensures that organizations that serve vulnerable populations (children, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities) nationwide have access to FBI fingerprint background checks. No organization would be required to utilize these fingerprint checks under CPIA.Protects privacy rights by ensuring that the specifics of a criminal record are never disclosed without explicit consent by the volunteer or potential staff and provide an opportunity for individuals to correct errors in their records with the FBI.

Does NOT authorize new spending. The program will be supported by the fees assessed for performing the background checks. Specifically, CPIA caps the cost of such a check at no more than $18.

At its core, CPIA is about providing information to organizations to enable discussion and informed decision-making about potential volunteers and staff wishing to work withchildren and other vulnerable populations.

Under CPIA, a criminal record would NOT automatically disqualify someone from volunteering.

CPIA directly benefits millions of children and adults across the nation who are involved with mentoring organizations, after-school programs, youth sports, summer camps, and more.

The Afterschool Alliance is working to ensure that all children have access to affordable, quality afterschool programs. Afterschool programs are critical to children and families today, yet the need for programs is far from being met. Learn more